Carter relishing Mauger head-to-head in Champions Cup semifinal

European Rugby Champions Cup

Carter relishing Mauger head-to-head in Champions Cup semifinal

ESPN Staff

April 11, 2016

© (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Dan Carter is looking forward to locking horns with his old All Blacks teammate Aaron Mauger when Racing 92 meet Leicester Tigers in the semifinal of the European Champions Cup.

A late Maxime Machenaud penalty saw Racing 92 dispatch reigning champions Toulon on Sunday to tee up a semifinal with the Tigers, who beat Stade Francais earlier in the day, in Nottingham. While Leicester are well versed in reaching the latter stages of Europe's premier tournament, it will be Racing 92's first Champions Cup semifinal.

The match will offer Carter the chance to come up against fellow former New Zealand international Mauger who is now head coach at the Tigers.

"This means so much to this club - it is an historical game because we have never been to the semi-finals before," Carter told Sky Sports. "To get this win over Toulon, who have been the benchmark in European rugby, is just brilliant.

"It gives us another week in the tournament and we know it is only going to get tougher from here on against Mauger's team. We will need to do our homework and prepare well for the game in two weeks' time.

"It is going to be a great occasion and I am really looking forward to it. It is a great competition and it is a big part of the reason I wanted to come here and play."

Carter picked up a knee injury in the first half of the game but played through the pain to help guide Racing into the final four. The knock did mean he surrendered his goal-kicking duties to Machenaud but Carter is adamant he will be fit and firing for their semifinal.

"They are the moments you love to take in a game and to see Maxime kick that penalty was very pleasing. He is an 85-89 per cent goal-kicker and I just left him to it," said Carter. "I have a little bit of a medial ligament injury and I just had to run it off. I wasn't 100 per cent and while it isn't a problem, I'll just have to manage my rehab."

© ESPN Staff

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Carter relishing Mauger head-to-head in Champions Cup semifinal